Light Your Way
by Emmarlene
Summary: "Just because I have to die doesn't mean that she has to as well." Foxface makes a promise to herself about a certain Tribute. One-sided Foxface/Katniss. One-shot. M for character death/suicide.


**A/N: This is an AU for my other story Not So Distant, meaning that it sticks with the actual Hunger Games storyline, b****ut I'm keeping Foxface's name as Solaire so I can make fun title puns.**

**Inspired by a comment from tumblr user calmb4tehpwn.**

**Warnings for character death, suicide.**

* * *

Solaire stared down at the berries in her hand. She could hear Peeta nearby, rustling through the bushes for more of the dark berries, but Katniss was still some way off.

_Katniss_. The name gave her courage. She could do this, she had do this, so that Katniss could survive. Katniss _had _to survive.

Solaire closed her eyes for a moment. She'd known from the start that there'd was no way that this could end happily for both of them, but maybe this would help.

One more moment. She'd give herself one more moment.

* * *

The first time she'd seen Katniss was when she'd watched the recaps of the Reapings. It was the first one shown, and the only one that stuck in her head. The way she had run to grab her sister, offered herself instead - Solaire felt something then, stronger than admiration or pity or adoration, but she hadn't fully realised it at the time.

That was the first time she'd heard her name, whispered in a croaky voice that echoed around in Solaire's head for the train ride to the Capitol.

She'd been glad of the work of the stylists for the parade, giving her an excuse to stare. The flames flickered and danced and Solaire wondered how Katniss didn't get burned, and if _she'd _be as lucky to stay unharmed in her presence.

Training was full of stolen glances and shadowing steps, not too close but never far away. A careful dance around the room, learning and watching, filling her time with survival skills and glimpses of the black-haired girl with the serious eyes.

She made a promise then, a silent promise to herself. She wasn't stupid, she'd already heard the talk and seen Katniss with her own eyes. Change was coming, and the girl on fire could be the start of _something, _the promise that perhaps life could be different.

At first she'd wanted to win, to live and be free, even though she knew how unlikely that was. But now her life didn't seem as important as Katniss.

She'd cried the night before the Arena, told herself that she was stupid and emotional and ridiculous, but it hadn't changed a thing. Katniss, the volunteer Tribute from District Twelve, felt far more real than any of her family or friends back home.

So she'd gone into the Arena knowing that she'd never come out.

Solaire ran at the Bloodbath, not stopping for anything. She'd waited anxiously that day, listening to the cannons and desperately hoping that Katniss had survived. And, miraculously, she had.

Each day was the same constant worry, the uncertainty that came with the Games. Each night brought a brief respite, before the cycle began again.

Images of the grey-eyed girl with the dark braid flickered through her mind when she tried to sleep, and thoughts of her plagued her waking hours. Hopelessness and dread pulled her down - how could she help Katniss when she couldn't find her?

She stole from the supply pile and hid from the Careers and lived every day with the expectation that it would be her last.

The next time she'd seen Katniss was at the Cornucopia, when she spotted the girl from behind. Uncertainty stopped her movement forward - they'd never spoken, never touched, however impossible that seemed. But maybe there were other ways she could help.

Solaire carefully went through the path to the pile, knowing that Katniss' eyes would be on her, remembering her even when she'd missed a step and fallen, all she could think was _Katniss, Katniss, Katniss._

The explosion had shaken her, and she'd rushed back to find the pile in ruins. She'd spent the rest of the day in a horrified daze, convinced she'd caused Katniss' death, until the nightly recaps showed otherwise.

The Feast was more difficult, when there were only six of them left. She'd tried to be an example, to show her how the others wouldn't chase her if she left their bags alone. In the end she was a distraction, delaying Cato to give Katniss another chance. Solaire was prepared to attack the Career, however futile it would be, but Clove's dying screams drew him away.

Then there were five of them left, and she'd followed Katniss through the woods, watching her lithe form stride through the trees. In the rainy days that followed, she'd taken comfort in the thought that Katniss at least was safe and dry in a snug cave, with her District partner to help her.

Then the boy from District Eleven died, and Solaire knew that it was almost finished. Cato would come soon, and that would be her chance - to attack the Career, injure or kill him, and die in the process. Sacrifice her life to ensure that Katniss would live.

It was all so simple, so clean-cut and easy, up until Peeta found the berries.

* * *

The berries glistened in her palm. She didn't know their name, but she knew what they were - poison.

Solaire knew that Katniss cared for Peeta, and that was reason enough to make this decision. She'd already said goodbye to everyone she'd cared about - except for one.

_Katniss_, she repeated over and over, _Katniss, the girl on fire, Katniss, my... my love._

Katniss might guess, later, but she might never know for sure. Maybe it would be for the best.

Solaire tilted her face up towards the bright blue sky. Death didn't seem so bad now, not when doing this might let Katniss live. And she _would _live, Solaire knew, she'd live and fight and win and love and be everything she was meant to be.

_Farewell, Katniss Everdeen,_ Solaire thought, touching the berries to her lips and watching as darkness began to surround her, _remember me, girl on fire. I'll fade happily into the dark knowing that you'll burn bright long after I'm gone..._


End file.
